Improvement in rotary steam-engines



UNrrED STATES-PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. BENNETT, OF SOUTHv BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-E-NGINES.

Specification.forming,part of Letters Patent No. 59, [66, dated October 30, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, Josnrn B. BENNETT, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements` in Rotary Steam E11- gines and Pumps; and l do hereby `declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making partof this specication, in which- Figure 1 shows the arrangement of the internal part of my rotary engine, and Fig. 2 a section on the line I I- of Fig. l.

A, Fig. 1, is the stationary outer casing or cylinder, within which the inner cylinder, B, revolves eccentrically and carries the pistons a b c d. These are so arranged as to slide freely in and out of the rim of the cylinder B, which acts as a guide-for them as it revolves, while they are tight enough to prevent leakage, and extend across the steam-space O between the two cylinders to he acted on by the steam. This is admitted at the port D, the port D being closed until it is expedient to reverse the direction of the revolution, when D will be closed and D' be opened. The escape-opening E serves with either movement.

The pistons a b c d, it will be seen, are in pairs, each two, as a and b, connected with each other, and moving together in a direction at right angles with that of c and d, which are also connected and move together.

On the ends of the pistons and extending across the whole depth of the steam-space between the cylinders A and B, spring packing- .plates F F F F, being in their natural condition curved, as shown at d, Fig. l, but possessing iiexibility enough to giveway to the pressure of steam, and being sufficiently elastic to resume their forni when relieved from such pressure.

Attached to the inner surface of the cylinder A are spring-valves G G, so placed as to he under the steamports D and D', and partially or quite lclose them by pressure from the pistons when in contact with them. Between the pistons the pressure of steam upon these spring-valves G will cause them to press with their edges upon the surface of the cylinder B as it revolves, so as to be steam-tight and form a head, from against which the steam will act on the pistons. Only one of these A, by a spiral spring, or by any common device.

The condition ofthe spring-valves are changed when the engine is reversed.

It will be seen that the pistons, when in the position of c d, extend with their spring packin g-plates completely across and till those portions of the steam-space which lie on opposite sides of the cylinder B, and between it and A, while they do not till the same condition when in the position of a and b, the distance from the end of c to the end of d being less than the inner diameter of the cylinder A. Advantage is taken of this circumstance, which has hitherto been the source of trouble in the construction of rotary engines, to lessen the friction on the faces of the pistons, thereby acquirin g a gain. in power, under the same steampressure, as well as reducing the amount of wear. To this end the steam, as it enters behind the piston from the port D, exerts a pressure against the Linder side of that end of the spring packing-plate which is on the supply side of the piston, forcing it against the inner surface of the cylinder A, and, of course, aiding the piston also in the same direction. When a second piston 'has passed the port so as to be acted on by the steam, the rst piston, say b, has steam confined between it and c, which has last passed the port. This steam acts expansively and presses the ends of the spring packing-plates which are within it both against the inner surface of the cylinder A, and keeps them there until after the piston b passes the escape-openin g E. The instant this happens pressure on the end of the spring packing-plate on b and c nearest to the escape is removed, and they resume their curved form on that side of each of their pistons which are next the escape, the piston b, which has passed the escape, having already had the end of its packing-plate which is on the side away from the escape relieved exactly as one end has now vbeen relieved of the packing-plate on c which is approaching the escape. From the escape round to the supply the packingplates exert no pressure against the inner surface of the cylinder.

An elastic self-packing steam-head, H, is formed in the inner surface of the cylinder A, to give additional security against the leakage of steam past the spring-valves G G, and

operates against the plates F of the pistons a b c d in a manner similar to the spring-valves. To this end small chambers e e connect the steam-ports with the chambers f f, so that steam may be admitted to one of them, so as to press upon the end of the spring-valve H as the piston is passing. When the engine is reversed the steam from the other steam-port performs a like oftce on the other end of H, the end that is next the closed port being always flush with the inside of the cylinder H.

The improvements herein described are applicable as Well to rotary pumps as to rotary steam-engines.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, is-

1. The combination, substantially as described, of the spring packing-plates F F with the pistons of a rotary steam-engine or rotary pump, for the purpose of greatly reducing the loss of power by friction and other causes, as hereinbefore set forth.

2. The spring-valves G G, arranged and operated substantially as and for the purpose described, in combination with the cylinder B, with its pistons and spring packing-plates, as set forth.

To the above specification of improvement in rotary engines and pumps I have signed my hand this 12th day of February, 1866.

JOSEPH B. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

OoTAviUs KNIGHT, ALEXR. A. G. KLAUCK.

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